Distributed data processing networks with thousands of nodes, or endpoints, are known in the prior art. The nodes can be geographically dispersed and the computing environment managed in a distributed manner with a plurality of computing locations running distributed kernels services (DKS). The managed environment can be logically separated into a series of loosely connected managed regions in which each region has its own management server for managing local resources. The management servers coordinate activities across the network and permit remote site management and operation. Local resources within one region can be exported for the use of other regions in a variety of manners.
Realistically, distributed networks can comprises millions of machines (each of which may have a plurality of endpoints) which are to be managed by thousands of control machines. The so-called control machines run Internet Protocol (IP) Driver Discovery/Monitor Scanners which poll the endpoints and gather and store status data, which is then made available to other machines and applications. Such a distributed networked system must be efficient or else the status communications alone will suffocate the network. A detailed discussion of distributed network services can be found in co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 09/738,307, filed Dec. 15, 2000, entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCE LEASES IN AN APPLICATION FRAMEWORK SYSTEM”, the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference.
A network discovery engine for a distributed network comprises at least one IP driver. For vast networks, a plurality of distributed IP drivers are necessary, with each performing status and other communications for a subset of the network's resources. It is necessary to define a driver's scope in order to assure that status communications are not duplicative.
One of the types of communications which can clog a distributed network is the replication of data objects at a plurality of machines. While data object replication can facilitate local access to data when a distributed application is running, the proliferation of data objects can monopolize bandwidth and interfere with both local CPU speed and network efficiency. In the case of applications which the function is to continue to discover and grow more data objects, a configuration error can lead to tens of thousands of objects being needlessly created and wherein ownership for action of the created objects is compromised.
It is desirable, therefore, and an object of the present invention, to provide a system and method whereby the scope of ownership for actions in defined for a distributed network.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method whereby replication of objects in a distributed network can be limited.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for defining a span of control for self-replicating programs.
Yet another object of the present invention is to define the foregoing span of control using network topology.